Dr. Jason E. Strakes is currently a Visiting Scholar with the International School for Caucasus Studies at Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia. He previously served as a Greater Middle East analyst and consultant to U.S. Army and government personnel. He completed his M.A. and Ph.D. in international studies and political science at the School of Politics and Economics, Claremont Graduate University, USA. His research interests include foreign policy analysis, defense and security policy, Central Eurasia, and the international relations of developing and former Soviet states. Dr. Strakes currently serves as Eurasia representative of the International Studies Association (ISA) Global South Caucus, and is an executive secretary of the Eurasia Business and Economics Society (EBES).